Toy airplane construction



June 5, 1951 w. P. BABCOCK 2,555,670

TOY AIRPLANE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inveulor UILLIFIM PHIL Enaccnz Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY AIRPLANE CONSTRUCTION William Phil Babcock, Hollywood, Calif.

Application May 14, 1946, Serial No. 669,562

1 Claim.

1 1 This invention relates to plastic models, and more" particularly to the shaping and use of plastic body shells for making small models of various kinds of toys.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved means for and method of constructing models which will include the formation and use of sectional cooperating body members of plastic, whereby the model may be built up and when completed, be provided with a smooth finished appearing body.

A further object of the invention is to provide cooperating plastic sectional body shells for models, said shells being apertured to receive cooperating members of the model constructed of balsa wood, or plywood, or any other desired material, with suitable attaching means for uniting said parts and shell sections to provide a complete and finished model.

Another object of the invention is to provide cooperating sectional plastic body shells for use in making models of various types, and the provision of plastic sheets which may be cut to cover the surfaces of the associated parts used as adjuncts to the body portions of said models.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for model making utilizing plastic surface coverings whereby more efiicient and attractive models may be built with a minimum cost for the requisite parts and material.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application,

Figure 1 is an exploded view of the cooperating sectional plastic body shells;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of a pair of double crutch members;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of a built up crutch member assembly;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the cooperating sectional plastic body shells with crutch members associated therewith;

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the cooperating sectional plastic body shells with crutch members associated therewith with body clamping screw locks in place;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a form of rib;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a plastic upper body shell with tail assembly in place thereon;

Figure 8 is a perspective View of a plastic lower body shell with a wing attached thereon;

Figure 9 is an exploded view of an assembled sectional plastic body shell with crutches in place therein, and a cowl shown ready for attachment thereto;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a plastic propeller blade;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a plastic spinner for positioning in front of the propeller;

Figure 12 is a perspective View of a series of wood strips positioned between a pair of master ribs, the same being pinned together prior to being trimmed down and sanded, and

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a series or set of wood strips positioned between a pair of master ribs after the strips have been trimmed down and sanded.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there are provided plastic sectional bodies or fuselage shells I and 2 for a toy model airplane, which toy is merely illustrative of the means for and method of building and constructing models in accordance with the inventive concepts of the instant invention.

The body sections I and 2 are formed with the apertures 3 and 4 respectively for attaching the airplane wings 5 and the tail assembly 6 to said body sections, the wings being attached to the lower body section 2, while the tail assembly is attached to the upper body section I.

The crutch members I and 8 shown in Figure 2 of the drawings are formed of any desired material, either of sheet plastic, balsa wood, plywood, or any other desired material, and are apertured to provide light Weight and to permit the body clamping screw locks 9 and Hi to pass therethrough and through the top shell I, to be held in place by the nuts I l and 12.

In assembling the model, the crutches 1 and 8 are suitably secured or cemented to the upper and lower body sections I and 2, after which said body sections are placed together and clamped as a unit by the screw locks 9 and II], as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. If desired, a built up crutch construction l3 may be used in place of the crutch plate 14, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The wings 5 are made of the ribs supported on the bracing beams l5 by means of notches l1 formed in the under surface of the ribs. The ribs Ilia are rearwardly tapering members, teardrop in shape, and are patterned or formed after two master ribs IS. A number of pieces of balsa wood or suitable material 25 are sandwiched between the two master ribs l6 and pinned together, and the entire set is cut and sanded to the contour of the master ribs at one time and secured together, after which the pins are removed. A plastic sheeting or similar material, such as tissue paper, may be stretched over the outer surface of the ribs and secured to the lead edge and rear edge of the wings. V

The tail assembly 6 is made in the same fashion as the wing assembly and is secured to the body in the same manner by use of the bracing beams I8 which extend through slots 4 in the upper body section I. The rudder portion, asshown in Figure 7 of the drawings, comprises a single piece of material such as balsa Wood, plywood, or a plastic, which is formed in the shape as shown in the attachment with the fuselage and is secured to the fuselage by means of a slot formed in the fuselage top surface adjacent the tail, which is well known in the prior art.

A cowl l6, cylindrical in shape and formed of plastic and other material will be provided for positioning at the forward end of the assembled body, and a propeller blade 29 and spinner 2!, also formed of plastic will be secured to a supporting shaft (notshown) and may be driven by a rubber band or any other type motor (not shown).

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that much of the work of constructing models has'been made considerably easier, and that when completed, the models will have a smooth, attractive appearance, also their construction and weight will be definitely lighter when the plastic body shells are employed.

While the preferred embodiment Of the instant invention has been illustrated and described, it Will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changesin detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from-the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a model airship, a fuselage construction comprising an elongated body composed of a pair of elongated shells having open sides in registry with each other, closure members secured across the open sides of the shells and resting against each other, locking means extending throughone of the shells and through the closure members and securing the shells together, said body having forward and rear ends, the rear end of said body having a transverse opening therein and the forward end of said body also having a transverse opening therein, a rear strut bar extending through and secured in the opening in the rear end of said body and having ends projecting lateral-1y from the body, a forward strut bar extending through and secured in the opening in the forward end of said body and having ends projecting laterally from the body,'a plurality of tailforming ribs supported on each end of the rear REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record in'the file of this patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,328,134: Doelckner Jan. 13,1920 1,875,219 Clemence Aug. 30, 1932 2,058,265 Selley Oct. 20,1936 2,211,102 Davis Aug. 13, 1.940 2,237,329 Bischof Apr. 8, 1941 2,366,652 Rieger Jan, 2, 1945 r 2,396,886 Rossiter Mar. 19, 1946 2,399,130 Mathee et a1 Apr. 23, 1946,

Shapiro et al na -Nov. 26, 1946 

